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KCET Celebrates Black History Month with Special Programming

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Celebrate Black History Month in February with KCET! We have several wonderful programs and documentaries that delve deep into the rich history of African Americans in the United States. We hope you'll tune in for one or all of the following shows:

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Unforgettable Hampton Family
Thursday, Feb. 16, 10 p.m.
Unforgettable Hampton Family is a riveting documentary that explores how Deacon Clark Hampton, a son of slaves, lifted his twelve children out of poverty by making them into successful musicians.

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Frederick Douglass: Pathway from Slavery to Freedom
Thursday, Feb. 16, 10:30 p.m.
Starring Jamie Hector, best known for playing Marlo Stanfield on the HBO series The Wire, Frederick Douglass: Pathway from Slavery to Freedom, tells the traumatic and compelling story of Douglass' early life. Born in Maryland, his mother was a slave and his father was a white man, most likely his mother's owner. Separated from his mother as an infant and then later his maternal grandmother, Douglass was sent to live with the Auld family in Baltimore. The television special reveals his life-changing experience in Baltimore when he learned to read, first from Hugh Auld's wife, Sophia, and then from white children in his neighborhood. Douglass' thirst for knowledge and freedom eventually led him to escape to the North at age twenty posing as a sailor with the identification papers of a free black man.

Image from NCRM Facebook page.

NCRM Freedom Awards 2011
Saturday, Feb. 18 (4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.) -
Highlights from The National Civil Rights Museum's Freedom Award ceremony held in Memphis, Tennessee on November 12, 2011 are featured. Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Freedom Award, this year's honorees include Marva Collins, Cicely Tyson, Danny Glover, Bill Russell, Dr. Bill Frist, Hill Harper, Kirk Whalum, Susan L. Taylor, Alonzo Mourning, Usher Raymond and honors Icons of the American Civil Rights Movement. Hosted by actress Wendy Raquel Robinson.

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Jail, No Bail
Saturday, Feb. 18, 5:30 p.m
A tribute to the 50th anniversary of the sit-in that introduced a new protest strategy and turned the tables on the establishment, while at the same time reinvigorating the Civil Rights movement nationally. The program also honors the Friendship Nine and the bold stand the men took in the face of extreme injustice. Narrated by award-winning actor Keith David, Jail, No Bail is a powerful examination of the personal trials and adversities that tested the character and resolve of this group of young men. Through non-violent protest, these strong-willed activists helped compel a nation to abandon segregationist practices between the races.

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In Remembrance There is Life: A Night of Storytelling
Thursday, Feb. 23, 10 p.m
An event held in Memphis on the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought together leaders from the Civil Rights struggle to celebrate the life and legacy of this great American. Telling the stories in their own powerful words are Myrlie Evers, Dr. Benjamin Hooks, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Samuel Billy Kyles, Dr. Dorothy Cotton, Clarence Jones, Tony Brown, Mayor David Dinkins, Rev. C. T. Vivian, and Rev. Wyatt T. Walker.

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